Loss of visual acuity is a growing concern worldwide. The World Health Organization currently estimates to 2.5% the incidence of low vision in industrialized countries, with this figure expected to continue increasing with ageing population. Low vision may be generally referred to as a condition where ordinary eye glasses, lens implants or contact lenses are not sufficient for providing sharp sight. The largest growing segment of the low-vision population in developed countries is expected to be people aged 65 years old and older, most notably due to age-related eye diseases such as, for example, macular degeneration, glaucoma and diabetic retinopathy, cataract, detached retina, and retinitis pigmentosa. Some people are also born with low vision.
Low-vision and other visually impaired individuals often find it difficult or exhausting to read small writing or to discern small objects without high levels of magnification and/or without enhanced contrast. This limits their ability to lead an independent life because optical magnifiers such as reading and magnifying glasses are typically characterized by fixed magnification ratios and a lack of contrast enhancement capabilities, while being generally limited in terms of functionality. In order to assist low-vision individuals in performing daily tasks, various magnification and contrast-enhancing devices and systems are known in the art, including portable and handheld electronic magnifiers.
Handheld electronic magnifiers are magnifying and contrast-enhancing devices that are small and light enough to be readily carried and held in a user's hand or hands while being used or operated. These devices typically include a camera on one side and a display on the opposite side. Recently, handheld electronic magnifiers with a rotatable handle have been developed that are operable in various operation modes by bringing the handle into different orientations relative to a base unit of the magnifier. The rotation of the handle is intended to provide good ergonomics when the device is used while maintaining a compact form when the device is to be stored or transported. While these currently available handheld electronic magnifiers may have certain advantages, like compactness, they also have some drawbacks related to, for example, the ergonomics of the handle, the ease with which the handle is rotated between its different orientations, and the mechanical stability of the magnifier when the handle is grasped by the user in a deployed configuration.
Accordingly, various challenges exist in the development of multi-configuration handheld electronic magnifiers that can be used more easily and conveniently by low-vision individuals.